January Monthly Mosaic

While we usually use this space to educate about an area of intersectionality with drug policy, in celebration of the new year, this MonthlyMosaic is dedicated to some New Year’s resolutions we’re making. We hope you’ll not only join us, but share your own endeavors to bring positive change to the SSDP community.

Resolutions We’re Making (And You Should Too!)

Diversify the topics of discussion. The drug war is a many-headed beast. A high-quality chapter should have conversations on different aspects of the drug war and the many different areas and ways in which to make positive change. The Monthly Mosaic is one good resource for identifying issue areas and techniques. You can also check out ssdp.org/diversity for a list of identifiers to get your chapter thinking about how the War on Drugs is impacting different communities.

Utilize different teaching methods. Everyone learns, grows, and processes information in different ways. Read more about different learning styles here to understand how you can get your point across to different audiences.

Allow everyone to have a voice in your chapter. As well intentioned as the drug policy movement is, we can make the mistake of ignoring or speaking over the voices of the most marginalized. Be mindful of others with different experiences and privileges than your own. Check out this blog post on how you can make sure everyone is heard during a meeting.

Build alliances. Network with other student activists on campus by organizing a social and inviting other groups, or attending another student organization’s event as a chapter. Look up your school’s list of student organizations and pick one or two to get involved with.

Self-care. Many activists put others’ needs before their own, and can burn themselves out. It is important for us to know our own limits and to make sure our needs are being met.Check out tips on self-care here.